Harry Potter and Hermione Granger
by ChenGuiChen
Summary: I did not enjoy the original HP ending since I couldn't see how Hermione fell for Ron (I am fine with Ginny and Harry's relationship, but not a big fan). I saw a lot of potentials for Hermione and Harry to end up together. PS: English is not my first language, so I am prone to making grammar mistakes, and not write as elegantly as other better writers are able to.
1. Chapter 1

After Harry and Hermione used the time turner to save their past selves, help Sirius and Buckbeak escape, they have returned to the hospital wing to rest for the night. As they change into pyjamas and climb into their beds.

"Hey Harry," Hermione called out "after seeing you conjure that Patronus charm to defend against all the dementors, I think I found the happy memory I need to conjure mine too." "Really!" Harry burst out. "Yeah, now watch... Expecto Patronum!". As Hermione speak the enchantment while flickering her wand, a silvery blue spark shoot off from the tip of her wand. As it flies it expand, first into a cloud and then it took shape. It's a fawn! Harry thought to himself, he can't help it but cast the same charm. As their Patronuses dance together in the air and mingle, Harry can't help but smile at Hermione. "Would you look at that! Mine a stag and yours a fawn, both of our Patronuses have something to do with deer!" With that happy though, Harry fell asleep before his head could even hit the pillow.

"Goodnight Harry...", Hermione said in a whisper. "Lumos" Hermione mumured while pulling a book out of her bag. It was Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk, as she flips the page, she periodically looked up at Harry and smiled to herself then immediately looked back down, hiding her blush using the dark of the night. Finally, Hermione stopped flipping on the page for Patronus Charm. "Harry did you know," Hermione read out loud quietly, "Corporeal Patronus, a guardian which generally takes the shape of the animal with whom they share the deepest affinity. You may suspect, but you will never truly know what form your Patronus will take until you succeed in conjuring it." She turned her head slightly to look at Harry in his sleep.

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering, heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. They wondered the grounds of Hogwarts given Ron's injury and Harry still not having the permission to go to Hogsmeade. Harry tried to teach Ron the Patronus Charm to see if the trio all had something to do with deer, but found no luck. When Ron heard that both Harry and Hermione were able to do it, he was excited to see them cast their corporeal Patronus.

After meeting Hagrid along the way and learning about Professor Lupin's departure, Harry rushed to see the man who in a way saved his life. After having a conversation with Moony, Harry learned the past of his father and his friends. Later Dumbledore came to see Professor Lupin take his leave, and gave Harry a few words of thoughts. As Dumbledore left the Defence Against the Dark Art office, leaving Harry to his very confused thoughts, Harry recalled the words of Dumbledore and the events of last night. "You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us?... How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night.", "If my Patronus is a stag because my dad was Prongs, why is Hermione's Patronus a fawn? "


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter TWO

In the Granger House, Hermione's Room.

"Dear Diary," Hermione read as she wrote, "Today is August 20th, I will be leaving for the Burrow to go with Harry, Ron and Ron's family to the Quidditch World Cup." She paused for a moment before continuing. "I've already read ahead and memorized what will be taught up to Christmas, I found this year's Ancient Runes textbook to be extremely interesting, especially Ehwaz and Eihwaz. They stand for Partnership and Defence respectively, but I always mix them up, maybe to me partnership is something that I need to defend. I've been practising spells recently as well, I have mastered the Levitation Charm, the Summoning Charm, the Water-Making Spell, and the Patron..." She stopped herself before finish writing the last mentioned spell, with a deep breath she forged onward with the entry. "Patronus Charm, but it seems that the spell only works when I am focusing... On that night when Harry cast his Patronus Charm."

"I look forward to the new school year at Hogwarts, I've missed Harry a lot, a bit of Ron I guess...", She pondered momentarily what to write about the two boys "I seem to be able to study a lot better if Harry is around, his presence calms me and excite me at the same time." not noticing the contradiction in her writing, she continued "Meanwhile, Ron would cheer me up sometimes, but I rather not have him around completely so that it's just me and Harry. I guess there isn't that much more I need to record here..." She pulled out her wand. The tip of her wand flickered and pointed to the diary as she cast "Atramentum Submersa". Instantly, the words she wrote down seconds again seems to be absorbed by the page, not leaving a single trace. The young girl smiled to herself as she stood up from her table, she walked over to her trunk, kneeling down and placed the closed diary inside. Three-quarters of the trunk are filled with books, quills, inks and parchment, the last quarter was filled with some clothes neatly folded. She stared at her trunk until she reached out and grabbed a small neatly wrapped box. She stayed kneeling next to her trunk for an awfully long time only when the sound of a nearby clock tower woke her up from her thoughts. In a hurry, she threw the box back into her trunk, slammed it shut and left to prepare for bed.

"Harry!" Hermione can't help but shout when she saw her friend who wore a pair of circular-rimmed glasses, the next second her very bushy brown hair flew all over the place as she ran and embraced him in a crushing hug. Meanwhile Mrs. Weasley was questioning Mr. Weasley about what Fred and George did to Harry's cousin Dudley. To get out of the mess that is happening in the kitchen, Harry, Hermione and Ginny followed Ron up to his room where Harry will be staying for his time here.

"So Harry, did you enjoy the stuff I sent you?" Hermione asked eagerly. "Oh yeah, thanks for all the snacks you sent", Harry replied. Hermione's face lit up upon hearing the words of compliment from her best friend. "Although, some of them are not as nice tasting due to the lack of sugar", Harry commented. "Oh! Don't worry I find some them not very nice as well." Hermione nervously agreed.

"I think they've stopped arguing," said Hermione, to cover the awkward moment. "Shall we go down and help your mum with dinner?" she said turning towards Ron and Ginny now. "Yeah, all right," said Ron. The four of them left Ron's room and went back downstairs to find Mrs. Weasley alone in the kitchen, looking extremely bad-tempered.

"C'mon," Ron said hurriedly, seizing a handful of cutlery from the open drawer, and signalling the others to follow lead, "let's go and help Bill and Charlie. We are eating in the garden given how many people we have."

While eating, the trio distanced them from the conversation between Charlie, Fred and George of the World Cup, the talk Mrs. Weasley is giving to Bill and Ginny about fashion, "The top-secret one" Percy and Mr. Weasley is having at the other end of the table.

By the time they had finished, moths were fluttering low over the table, and the warm air was perfumed with the smells of grass, honeysuckle and a clean smell of ink and parchment. "That ought to be Hermione" Harry thought to himself.

"Look at the time," Mrs. Weasley said suddenly, checking her wristwatch. "You really should be in bed, the whole lot of you you'll be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup. Harry, if you leave your school list out, I'll get your things for you tomorrow in Diagon Alley. I'm getting everyone else's. There might not be time after the World Cup, the match went on for five days last time."

"I can't wait for the match!" Harry thought to himself as his head touched the pillow.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter THREE

"Avada Kedavra!" Harry could still remember from their Defence Against the Dark Art lesson they just had with Moody and witnessed the 3 Unforgivable Curse performed on spiders.

"Hurry up," she said tensely to Harry and Ron.

"Not the bloody library again!" said Ron, before Harry knocked the air out of his lung with a well-aimed elbow.

"No," said Hermione curtly, pointing and calling out to Neville, who was standing alone, halfway up the passage, staring at the stone wall opposite him with the same horrified, wide-eyed look he had worn when Moody had demonstrated the Cruciatus Curse.

"Are you alright Neville?" Hermione said gently, patting Neville on the shoulder to show support.

"Oh... Oh hello, Her... Hermione..." Neville stuttered as he turned around, "I'm star... starving, wonder wha... what's for dinner... Oh yes, I'm fine." Neville continued though now with an unnaturally high voice. "Very interesting dinner... I mean lesson... lesson, definitely lesson... what's for eating?"

Ron pulled on Harry's arm when an odd clunking noise sounded behind them, and they turned to see Professor Moody limping toward them. All four of them fell silent, watching him apprehensively, Moody spoke with a gentler growl exchanging dialogues with the 4 students before pulling Neville to his office.

At dinner, Hermione did not join in with Harry and Ron's conversation during dinner but ate furiously fast, and then left for the library again. Although Harry did notice that she seems to have taken a wrong turn and gone towards Professor Flitwick's office.

"Professor, I would like to know more about the Patronus Charm," Hermione said slightly out of breath. Professor Flitwick eyed Hermione curiously, "My, my... The Patronus Charm you say? But that is very advanced material and not part of you Hogwart curriculum!" shaking his head at the request he continued. "Of course I could tell you more about it, but I doubt you'll be able to master and cast it, and furthermore what for?". Still, out of breath, Hermione silently drew her wand and murmured "Expecto Patronum", instantly a silvery-white doe leapt out from the tip of her wand and dashed around the room.

Flitwick watched in awe until the doe finally dissipated into thin strands of silver-white essences. "Well done Ms. Granger, no wonder they all say that you are the brightest witch of your year! So if you are not here to learn how to cast the spell, what do you need my help for?" Flitwick questioned curiously. "I read that a corporeal Patronus takes the shape of a secret self within us, therefore making each one's corporeal Patronus different in shape and form. I want to know what determines that secret self, what... shapes a Patronus?" Hermione finally forced the question that bugged her throughout the summer holidays.

"Ah! I see so that is what you are interested," Flitwick said with a tone of amusement "The reason could be rather short, a Patronus is shaped based on the memories that define you. Well, a Patronus' shape and form depends on the personality and inner trait of the wizard or witch similar to the shape an animagus take. It seems that if a witch or wizard is an animagus, their Patronus will likely to be the same shape and form and will not change. However, there is evidence that the shape of a Patronus could reflect some hidden emotions such as love for someone else..."

Flitwick continued to speak, but Hermione could take no more. Her Patronus has grown to become a doe... Reflect hidden emotions such as love... Does that mean she... Harry?


	4. Chapter 4

PS: I realise that the events I write may seem to jump very far, so I will summarise the key things happening in the start of the chapter to remind you in case you can't recall what would happen in between the chapters. I also bolded the part where I took from the original book, since thats what other people did when they needed to use the original texts...

Chapter FOUR

After the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students arrive, Dumbledore announced that Hogwarts will host the Triwizard Tournament. Its been a week since and the Goblet of Fire has finished deciding on the champions. Dumbledore finished announcing that Cedric will represent Hogwarts, Viktor Krum will represent Durmstrang, and Fleur Delacour will represent Beauxbatons. He is about to continue but stopped.

Everyone stared in silence as the fire in the Goblet of Fire turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment.

 **Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. He held it out and stared at the name written on it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out - "Harry Potter."**

Everyone turned to look at Harry, who could do nothing but remain still. No applause, instead murmurs carrying a deep anger were starting to fill the Hall. Harry remains frozen in his seat.

He saw people shaking their head, at the top table, the Hogwarts teachers were mostly frowning. The Slytherins were smiling at him with disgust, Ravenclaws doesn't look pleased either, and Hufflepuffs were all turning red and angry.

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione; beyond them, he saw the long Gryffindor table all watching him, openmouthed.

"I didn't put my name in," Harry said blankly. "You know I didn't."

Ron stared blankly at Harry, and Hermione was at a loss for words but her mouth kept opening and closing as if she wanted to say something.

At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall.

"Harry Potter!" he called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"

Hermione finally grasped the situation gave Harry a slight push and whispered "Harry, you've got to tell Professor Dumbledore that you didn't put your name into the Goblet of Fire! You can't enter the Triwizard Tournament, You can't! Now GO!"

Harry got to his feet, trod on the hem of his robes, and stumbled lightly. He set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It felt like an immensely long walk; the top table didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all, and he could feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon him, as though each was a searchlight. The buzzing grew louder and louder. After what seemed like an hour, he was right in front of Dumbledore, feeling the stares of all the teachers upon him.

"Well. . . through the door, Harry," said Dumbledore. He wasn't smiling.

Harry moved off along the teachers' table. Hagrid was seated right at the end. He did not wink at Harry, or wave, or give any of his usual signs of greeting.

He looked completely astonished and stared at Harry as he passed like everyone else.

Just like everyone else, except. . . Hermione.

...

After the talk that included Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody, Professor Snape, Ludo Bagman, Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime and the other 3 champions has concluded. Harry started to climb the marble staircase to go back to the Gryffindor tower.

Was anyone except Ron and Hermione going to believe him, or would they all think he'd put himself in for the tournament? Yet how could anyone think that when he was facing competitors who'd had three years' more magical education than he had - when he was now facing tasks that not only sounded very dangerous but which were to be performed in front of hundreds of people? Yes, he'd thought about it. . . he'd fantasized about it. . . but it had been a joke, really, an idle sort of dream. . . he'd never really, seriously considered entering. . .

Now what Moody said, someone entered his name to get him killed? Was Moody just being his usual paranoid self? Couldn't someone have put Harry's name in the goblet as a trick, a practical joke? Did anyone really want him dead?

Everyone knows the answer to that! Lord Voldemort and all of his supporters! But. . . How?

After giving the password to the Fat Lady Harry climbed through the portrait. The blast of noise that met Harry's ears when the portrait opened almost knocked him backwards. Next thing he knew, he was being wrenched inside the common room by about a dozen pairs of hands, and was facing the whole of Gryffindor House, all of whom were screaming, applauding, and whistling.

 **"You should've told us you'd entered!" bellowed Fred; he looked half annoyed, half deeply impressed.**

 **"How did you do it without getting a beard? Brilliant!" roared George.**

 **"I didn't," Harry said. "I don't know how -"**

 **But Angelina had now swooped down upon him; "Oh if it couldn't be me, at least it's a Gryffindor -"**

 **"You'll be able to pay back Diggory for that last Quidditch match, Harry!" shrieked Katie Bell, another of the Gryffindor Chasers.**

 **"We've got food, Harry, come and have some -"**

 **"I'm not hungry, I had enough at the feast -"**

 **But nobody wanted to hear that he wasn't hungry; nobody wanted to hear that he hadn't put his name in the goblet; not one single person seemed to have noticed that he wasn't at all in the mood to celebrate. . . . Lee Jordan had unearthed a Gryffindor banner from somewhere, and he insisted on draping it around Harry like a cloak. Harry couldn't get away; whenever he tried to sidle over to the staircase up to the dormitories, the crowd around him closed ranks, forcing another butterbeer on him, stuffing crisps and peanuts into his hands. . . . Everyone wanted to know how he had done it, how he had tricked Dumbledore's Age Line and managed to get his name into the goblet...**

 **"I didn't," he said, over and over again, "I don't know how it happened."**

 **But for all the notice anyone took, he might just as well not have answered at all.**

 **"I'm tired!" he bellowed finally, after nearly half an hour. "No, seriously, George -I'm going to bed -"**

 **He wanted more than anything to find Ron and Hermione, to find a bit of sanity, but neither of them seemed to be in the common room. Insisting that he needed to sleep, and almost flattening the little Creevey brothers as they attempted to waylay him at the foot of the stairs, Harry managed to shake everyone off and climb up to the dormitory as fast as he could.**

 **To his great relief, he found Ron was lying on his bed in the otherwise empty dormitory, still fully dressed. He looked up when Harry slammed the door behind him.**

 **"Where've you been?" Harry said.**

 **"Oh hello," said Ron.**

 **He was grinning, but it was a very odd, strained sort of grin. Harry suddenly became aware that he was still wearing the scarlet Gryffindor banner that Lee had tied around him. He hastened to take it off, but it was knotted very tightly. Ron lay on the bed without moving, watching Harry struggle to remove it.**

 **"So," he said when Harry had finally removed the banner and thrown it into a corner.**

 **"Congratulations."**

 **"What d'you mean, congratulations?" said Harry, staring at Ron. There was definitely something wrong with the way Ron was smiling: It was more like a grimace.**

 **"Well. . . no one else got across the Age Line," said Ron. "Not even Fred and George.**

 **What did you use - the Invisibility Cloak?"**

 **"The Invisibility Cloak wouldn't have got me over that line," said Harry slowly.**

 **"Oh right," said Ron. "I thought you might've told me if it was the cloak. . . because it would've covered both of us, wouldn't it? But you found another way, did you?"**

 **"Listen," said Harry, "I didn't put my name in that goblet. Someone else must've done it."**

 **Ron raised his eyebrows.**

 **"What would they do that for?"**

 **"I dunno," said Harry. He felt it would sound very melodramatic to say, "To kill me."**

 **Ron's eyebrows rose so high that they were in danger of disappearing into his hair.**

 **"It's okay, you know, you can tell me the truth," he said. "If you don't want everyone else to know, fine, but I don't know why you're bothering to lie, you didn't get into trouble for it, did you? That friend of the Fat Lady's, that Violet, she's already told us all Dumbledore's letting you enter. A thousand Galleons prize money, eh? And you don't have to do end-of-year tests either. . ." "I didn't put my name in that goblet!" said Harry, starting to feel angry.**

 **"Yeah, okay," said Ron, in exactly the same sceptical tone as Cedric. "Only you said this morning you'd have done it last night, and no one would've seen you... I'm not stupid, you know."**

 **"You're doing a really good impression of it," Harry snapped.**

 **"Yeah?" said Ron, and there was no trace of a grin, forced or otherwise, on his face now.**

 **"You want to get to bed, Harry. I expect you'll need to be up early tomorrow for a photo-call or something."**

 **He wrenched the hangings shut around his four-poster, leaving Harry standing there by the door, staring at the dark red velvet curtains, now hiding one of the few people he had been sure would believe him.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter FIVE

 **When Harry woke up on Sunday morning, it took him a moment to remember why he felt so miserable and worried. Then the memory of the previous night rolled over him. He sat up and ripped back the curtains of his own four-poster, intending to talk to Ron, to force Ron to believe him - only to find that Ron's bed was empty; he had obviously gone down to breakfast.**

 **Harry dressed and went down the spiral staircase into the common room.**

 **The moment he appeared, the people who had already finished breakfast broke into applause again. The prospect of going down into the Great Hall and facing the rest of the Gryffindors, all treating him like some sort of hero, was not inviting; it was that, however, or stay here and allow himself to be cornered by the Creevey brothers, who were both beckoning frantically to him to join them. He walked resolutely over to the portrait hole, pushed it open, climbed out of it, and found himself face-to-face with Hermione.**

"Hello," she said, holding up a stack of toast, which she was carrying in a napkin. "I brought you this..." trying to hide a blush she had on her face she asked. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Good idea," said Harry gratefully, not aware of his friend.

They went downstairs, crossed the entrance hall quickly without looking in at the Great Hall, and were soon striding across the lawn toward the lake, where the Durmstrang ship was moored, reflected blackly in the water. It was a chilly morning, and they kept moving, munching their toast, as Harry told Hermione exactly what had happened after he had left the Gryffindor table the night before. To his immense relief, Hermione accepted his story without question.

"Well, of course, I knew you hadn't entered yourself," she said when he'd finished telling her about the scene in the chamber off the Hall. "If you did you would've told me and Ron right? You would right?" she asked with some uncertainty, and a bit of unconfident? "Of course!" Harry nearly shouted. Hermione nodded with approval and continued. "If what Moody speculate is true, who did put it in? I don't think any student could have done it as well."

After accepting Hermione's suggestion of writing to Sirius to ask for help, they went to the Owlery. When Harry picked a school owl to send the mail Hedwig became outraged and gave a very loud hoot, taking off and cut Harry's shoulder with her talons.

 **"First Ron, then you," Harry said angrily. "This isn't my fault."**

Hermione looked at Harry and tried to comfort him by walking up behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder to show her presence.

...

 **Harry got up on Sunday morning and dressed so inattentively that it was a while before he realized he was trying to pull his hat onto his foot instead of his sock. When he'd finally got all his clothes on the right parts of his body, he hurried off to find Hermione, locating her at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, where she was eating breakfast with Ginny. Feeling too queasy to eat, Harry waited until Hermione had swallowed her last spoonful of porridge, then dragged her out onto the grounds. There, he told her all about the dragons, and about everything Sirius had said, while they took another long walk around the lake.**

Alarmed as she was by Sirius's warnings about Karkaroff, Hermione still thought that the dragons were the more pressing problem.

"Its okay Harry, we'll work something out that'll keep you alive," she said depressingly, "and then we can worry about Karkaroff."

After not coming up with any solutions by themselves, Hermione suggested going down to the library to find out more. Despite reading through piles of books about dragons, the pair did not find any success.

As Hermione rattled about options such as Transfiguration, Charm and even something they may have touched on in conversations with Hagrid. Harry finally couldn't handle it anymore.

 **"Hermione," Harry said, through gritted teeth, "will you shut up for a bit, please? I'm trying to concentrate."**

Hermione fell silent, picked up a really big book and shoved herself into its pages. Out of Harry's sight, she wiped her dampened eyes with her sleeves and tried to find something that might save Harry's life.

Silence remained between the pair until they had to go to classes, Harry remembered the need to go tell Cedric so he rushed off to find him. After confronting Cedric with a short exchange, Moody took Harry away to talk to him, help him deceive a plan.

"Hermione," Harry whispered when he had sped into greenhouse three minutes late, uttering a hurried apology to Professor Sprout as he passed her. "Hermione... I need you to help me."

"Of course Harry!" with a small blush which she hid by turning slightly away, she said "What d'you need?" her eyes round with anxiety over the top of the quivering Flutterby Bush she was pruning.

And after the lesson, they practised the Summoning Charm. They didn't have lunch, but headed for a free classroom, where Harry tried with all his might to make various objects fly across the room toward him.

"Harry, I really think you've got it!" said Hermione delightedly.

"Let's hope the dragon doesn't try to kill me tomorrow..." Harry said in a grim tone.

Let's just say that he is very VERY wrong.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter SIX

As Harry sat there and listened to the crowd screaming and yelling, whatever Cedric was trying to do must be... thrilling to watch.

Meanwhile, Krum was still staring at the ground. Fleur is walking around the tent in circles. Harry listened to Bagman's commentary attentively to see if it could take his mind off the Hungarian Horntail he is destined to face later. "Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow". "He's taking risks, this one!"... "Clever move, awww it didn't work!"

And then, after about fifteen minutes, Harry heard the deafening roar that could mean only one thing: Cedric had gotten past his dragon and captured the golden egg.

"Very good indeed!" Bagman was shouting. "And now the marks from the judges!"

But he didn't shout out the marks; Harry supposed the judges were holding them up and showing them to the crowd.

"One down, three to go!" Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. "Miss Delacour, if you please!"

Fleur was trembling from head to foot; Harry felt more warmly toward her than he had done so far as she left the tent with her head held high and her hand clutching her wand. He and Krum were left alone, at opposite sides of the tent, avoiding each other's gaze.

His head turned when the corner of his eyes caught one of the flaps of the tent to fly up. A witch with very bushy hair rushed in and nearly tackled Harry to the floor with a choking hug. He could no longer hear what Bagman was saying outside given the faint sobbing that filled his ears.

"Oh, Harry! The dragon!" it was Hermione. "I'm so worried, oh please take good care yourself! Don't die, don't die."

"Excuse me, young lady! I believe zat zis tent is vor champions ONLY!" the voice of the only other person in the room stopped Hermione in her rambling.

Before Krum got closer, Harry put his hand out and asked trying to sound calm, "Krum, could you uh give us a moment?"

Krum was surprised, so he shrugged his shoulders and backed up.

While the crowd outside constantly shouted and cheered for Fleur, Harry didn't care. All his attentions were devoted to the girl who is his best friend, the only one who would believe him and help him go through a life or death situation. He can't accept that she is hurt and won't stop trying to cheer up.

"It's okay, Hermione. We worked out a solution remember? I'll show that dragon who is the better flyer!" Harry said in a whisper while casting glances at Krum to make sure their conversation is not overheard.

Looking up with her teary eyes, Hermione croaked "Yeah, but... These dragons look so much more life-threatening in real life than in diagrams. Are you sure you will be okay?"

A whistle sound came from out of the tent, "And here comes Mr. Krum" cried Bagman, which interrupted Harry before he could even give a response. As Krum slouched out, he turned to face Hermione.

"Hermione, I promise you that I will finish this task - No this tournament alive and well," Harry said with such determination that it stopped Hermione's tears. Finally, she regained her senses. She nodded to show that she understands, then she turned to walk out of the tent from the same flap that she came in.

"Harry, you better keep your promises. Okay? Please."

Harry felt much more aware of his body than usual; very aware of the way his heart was pumping fast, and his fingers tingling with fear. . . yet at the same time, he seemed to be outside himself, seeing the walls of the tent, and hearing the crowd, as though from far away.

"Very daring!" Bagman was yelling, and Harry heard the Chinese Fireball emit a horrible, roaring shriek, while the crowd drew its collective breath. "That's some nerve he's showing - and - yes, he's got the egg!"

Applause shattered the wintery air like breaking glass; Krum had finished - it would be Harry's turn any moment.

He stood up, noticing dimly that his legs seemed to be made of marshmallow. He waited.

Then it happened, the whistle blew again. He walked out through the entrance of the tent, no panic, no fear. Just determination. Enough determination to summon his Firebolt, give the Horntail a good chase, present the crowd a good show, and most importantly to fulfil the promise he just made.

...

It seemed like an instance, or was it a decade? Harry lost count of time, but he knew he has finished. With a golden egg held tightly in his arm, he saw the dragon keepers rushing forward to subdue the Horntail, and, over at the entrance to the enclosure, Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody, and Hagrid hurrying to meet him, all of them waving him toward them, their smiles evident even from this distance. He flew back over the stands, the noise of the crowd pounding his eardrums, and came in smoothly to land, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks. . . . He had got through the first task, he had survived.

"Now, just sit quietly for a minute - sit! And then you can go and get your score," Madam Pomfrey sounded like she was able to cast the Imperius Curse on Harry to make sure that he will do what is asked.

Harry didn't want to sit still, he got to his feet, wanting to see if anyone was looking for him. It would be even better if the person looking for him was the one he was seeking. Two people came darting inside - Hermione, followed closely by Ron.

"Harry, you were brilliant!" Hermione said squeakily. There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear. "You were amazing! You really were!"

"Harry," Ron said, very seriously, "whoever put your name in that goblet - I - I reckon they're trying to do you in!"

But Harry was looking at Hermione, who was shaking more than Harry himself. And he embraced her, they felt the assurance of each other's presence and sighed of relief.

Harry eyed Ron after letting Hermione go from the hug. "Caught on, have you?" said Harry coldly. "Took you long enough."

Then before either Hermione could nervously interfere or Ron could get the words of apology out, he spoke. "It's okay, forget it."

"Forget it," Harry said, in case the two had any more to say.

Picking up the golden egg and his Firebolt, feeling more elated than he would have believed possible an hour ago, Harry ducked out of the tent, Ron by his side and Hermione right behind his heel.

After seeing his score tied with Krum at first, he heard cheering from all the Hogwarts student (except maybe Slytherins, who he didn't give a s**t). Listening to Bagman's small congratulatory talk was the last thing Harry cared, as he heard "off you go, then!" the boy whose name was Harry Potter was already out of the tent. He made his way back to the castle with Hermione and Ron, even the temporary appearance by Rita Skeeter was unable to waver his mood.


End file.
